She's often recognised for her role as Rhonda in the AAMI adverts, as well as having captivated fans with her impressive portrayal of women's magazine editor Nene King in Paper Giants.

But according to Australian actress Mandy McElhinney, her role as mining heiress Gina Rinehart in Channel Nine's House Of Hancock is her biggest transformation yet.

Speaking to news.com.au, the actress said she used a combination of weight gain and prosthetics to appear as close as possible in appearance to the daughter of Lang Hancock, who discovered the world’s largest iron ore deposit in 1952.

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Drastic makeover: Starring as Gina Rinehart in Channel Nine's House Of Hancock, Mandy McElhinney explains a combination of weight gain and prosthetics were adopted to forge the mining mogul's appearance

Riches: Mining mogul Gina is one of the wealthiest people in the world, with a fortune worth almost $20 billion

Petite in comparison to Gina, Mandy said she 'had to find that perfect weight where I could be conceivably smaller or larger'.

In addition to putting on a few kilograms, Mandy's facial features were transformed with the aid of prosthetics by Sydney's Make Up Effects Group.

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Explaining she looked barely recognisable as she stepped onto set, Mandy said: 'They created this whole mask that was made out of several pieces that completely changed the shape of my eyes, my mouth, everything'.

She added: 'I would look in the mirror and I couldn’t see myself at all, it was surreal. And then I walked out on set and people were scared.'

Different look: The actress appears to sport a fuller figure in the Channel Nine telemovie

Her story: Gina is the daughter of Lang Hancock, who discovered the world’s largest iron ore deposit in 1952

Promotional trailers and images show Mandy sporting a fuller figure, having also swapped her glorious red locks for a darker, brunette hairdo.

Filmed in Western Australia's Pilbara, Mandy was joined by a stellar cast including Sam Neill who plays Gina's father Lang Hancock and Peta Sergeant who plays Rose Lacson, the love interest of Hancock.

British Australian actor Robert Coleby and Australian actress Anna Louise Lambert also star, playing Frank Rinehart and Hope Hancock respectively.

Set primarily in the period 1980-2002, the production tells the epic true story of the Hancock dynasty and the love triangle that emerged between the father Lang, his daughter Gina and his housekeeper Rose.

Change: A face mask was applied by Sydney's Make Up Effects Group to transform Mandy's facial features

Transformation: She has also swapped her glorious red locks for a darker, brunette hairdo

Promotional material for the drama said: 'Lang and Gina are inseparable, the perfect team, and Gina is confident she will soon inherit the family business. But their relationship is rocked by a series of tumultuous events.'

'What follows is an increasingly bitter public feud lasting two decades: filled with forbidden love, murder accusations, drug charges, illegitimate children, court cases and epic betrayal, all played out in the media, and all for Gina to retain control over the staggering Hancock family fortune.'

Mining mogul Gina is one of the wealthiest people in the world, with a fortune worth almost $20 billion.